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How to Juice a Papaya

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Papaya may no longer be exotic, but it’s unmistakably tropical -- the orange flesh of the melon-like fruit is creamy, sweet and exceptionally nutritious. Not only is it rich in vitamins C and A, folate and potassium, but it’s also a good source of papain, an enzyme that promotes digestion.

Juice Extractor

Ripe papayas are easier to juice when they’re relatively firm, not soft and pulpy. Use a knife or vegetable peeler to skin the fruit, then slice it in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Cut each section into pieces small enough to feed through your juicer. An average-sized papaya yields about 8 ounces of nectar-like juice.

Seeds and Skin

A papaya’s thin skin and black seeds are edible and nutritious, and you can juice either. While adding the seeds will make the final product slightly bitter, the skin doesn’t significantly affect the flavor of the juice.

Considerations

Papaya is a good source of dietary fiber, and you’ll retain more of this fiber by using a powerful blender to liquefy the fruit’s flesh into a pulpy juice. To thin it out a bit, add a few strawberries and some water or coconut milk.

Based just outside Chicago, Meg Campbell has worked in the fitness industry since 1997. She’s been writing health-related articles since 2010, focusing primarily on diet and nutrition. Campbell divides her time between her hometown and Buenos Aires, Argentina.